• Saw Palmetto

    Saw Palmetto

    The "Active" Ingredient in Many Popular Hair Loss Treatment Products

    Many popular hair loss treatment options today such as Provillus, Procerin, and Avacor contain the “active” ingredient saw palmetto. It can also be purchased as a standalone supplement in most nutritional stores. But the age old question of whether or not it can effectively treat baldness in men and women with alopecia is still heavily debated. By taking a look at the scientific evidence available we are able to draw some conclusions as to its potential benefit for those with thinning hair.

    What is Saw Palmetto?

    Saw Palmetto berries are a deep red fruit that grow wild on palm trees in warmer climates, typically found in the Southeastern United States. The liposerolic berry extract is typically used as an herbal supplement for the promotion of a healthy prostate.

    Saw Palmetto Hair Loss Study:

    Similarly to finasteride (the active ingredient in Propecia and Proscar), studies have shown that when taken orally, it may be an effective anti-androgen by lowering dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels in the body by blocking 5 alpha-reductase enzymes. Additionally it is said to block receptor cites on cells which is required for cells to absorb DHT.

    Tests have also been performed on its use in the treatment of benign prostatic disease, which similarly to androgenic alopecia, depends on the production of DHT.

    It is also noteworthy to state that a small preliminary study in 2002 was performed as reported by The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine(2002;8:143-52) that shows a select group of 19 men between the ages of 23 and 64 taking either (400mg of saw palmetto and 100mg of Beta-sitosterol) or a placebo orally. Those who took the herbal combination had 60% improved hair growth over those who took the placebo. There have been no studies to date indicating the efficacy of saw palmetto applied topically for male pattern baldness, female hair loss, or anything to date.

    In our opinion, there are two potential difficulties with this study:

    • Many scientists would argue that the control study group was too small to determine any real efficacy and improved hair growth could have happened by chance. A larger study therefore may be necessary to determine any level of real efficacy.
    • “Improved hair growth” is not the same thing as newhair growth and hair regrowth, nor should it necessarily imply that it works to stop hair loss
    • There are no regulations or suggested daily value as to how much saw palmetto would be required to successfully treat baldness. The appropriate dosage therefore is questionable.
    • The above study was only performed on saw palmetto taken orally. Hair loss products that promote topical use for baldness are basing their belief in its efficacy on something other than published clinical evidence.

    The Dosage:

    But if there are no current standards on dosages of herbal medications in the United States, how do these popular hair loss treatments produce an appropriate dosage?

    Clinical studies on Benign Prostrate Hyperplasia (BPH) have used a dosage of 320mg of the berry extract daily (either one 320mg pill or 2 X 160 mg pill). A daily dosage of 480 mg of saw palmetto berry extract was not found to be any more effective in a six-month study. If the entire berry was used, up to 1000mg or 2000mg would be required to reach the same goal.

    The theory therefore is that if saw palmetto can successfully treat an enlarged prostate similarly to finasteride, it can effectively treat hair loss with a similar dosage Many popular “baldness cure” products contain approximately 1500mg of the berry which is equivalent to approximately 240-320mg of the berry extract.

    Side Effects and Warnings:

    One false assumption is that “all natural” treatments don’t have potential side effects. It is stated that use of saw palmetto has not proven to be safe for women with hair loss during pregnancy and lactation. Medical supervision is suggested for women of childbearing age. Similar warnings are listed about Propecia.

    Conclusions:

    Based on some anecdotal evidence, saw palmetto is said to treat baldness because of its tendency to act like finasteride by helping those suffering from BPH. However, authentic clinical studies have not been performed to date that support this claim. Dosage and how it should be used (orally or topically) therefore is based on conjecture rather that scientific evidence.

  • Nizoral 2% Shampoo (Extra Strength) for Hair Loss

    Nizoral 2% shampoo

    Nizoral 2% is magnificent shampoo and a significant part of what's referred to commonly as the Big 3. The other two are the FDA approved and proven treatments Propecia (finasteride)and Rogaine (minoxidil). To date, Nizoral is the only shampoo on the market that can make the unique claim that it's proven to stop the formation of DHT. Its active ingredient ketoconazoleat 2% concentration has proven to be a moderate DHT inhibitor and has growth stimulating properties about as effective as Rogaine 2%.

    This product includes 2%, the highest concentration of the active ingredient ketoconazole. To view the clinical abstract proving the effectiveness of ketoconazole in the treatment of androgenetic alopecia, view "Ketoconazole as a hair loss treatment". There is also a less concentrated 1% of Nizoral. To learn more, visit Nizoral regular shampoo.

    We strongly suggest using Nizoral shampoo in addition to other proven treatments. Nizoral should be used 2 or 3 times a week to avoid dry hair and a flakey scalp.

    On the off days, you may want to consider rotating Nizoral with other excellent shampoos designed specifically for thinning hair. See the recommended treatments section below for other shampoos we recommend.

    Developing Realistic Expectations:

    Men and women sometimes suffer from hair loss for different reasons. Thus, diagnosing its cause is necessary to facilitate and promote proper treatment.

    Don't expect immediate results. It's recommended to use Nizoral in conjunction with other proven treatments for at least 6 to 12 months before determining its effectiveness. Documenting your progress with bi-monthly photos can help you determine whether or not Nizoral has been successful in helping you maintain existing hair.

    To date, only surgical hair restoration is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. You are invited to have a free virtual consultation with one of our prescreened hair restoration physicians.

  • Bijan Feriduni, MD

    Dr. Bijan Feriduni
    Dr. Bijan Feriduni
    Dr. Bijan Feriduni has been dedicated exclusively to advanced hair restoration since 1995 and now performs large sessions of ultra refined strip and FUE hair transplantation with outstanding results.
  • Patrick Mwamba, MD

    Dr. Patrick Mwamba
    Dr. Patrick Mwamba
    Dr. Patrick Mwamba is one of the early developers of the follicular unit extraction (FUE) method and is the most experienced body hair transplant surgeon in Brussels, Belgium.
  • How our Physicians are Chosen and How to Research Surgeons

    As patients, we know that the physician you choose is the most critical decision in restoring your hair is the physician you choose. Hair restoration physicians' skills, experience, and talent vary widely, as do the end results, vary widely.

    You must research and choose your physician wisely. After all, who you choose will determine how natural and complete, your new hair will be for the rest of your life. The surgeons selected and approved by our community have been scouted and vetted by the forum's highly esteemed senior valued contributors of the Hair Restoration Network. Our valued contributors have all spent years researching hair transplantation, and they have all had hair transplants. To ensure there is no conflict of interest, none of our valued contributors receive any compensation. They are volunteers who have shared their experiences and contributed for years to our community. Each surgeon has been approved based on their ethics, surgical techniques, results, and reviews. To support the costs of operating and promoting our community, the approved physician contributes a monthly fee to sponsor our community.

    Their recommendation is continued as long as they continue to show evidence of excellent patient results and satisfaction. If a patient expresses concerns, physicians are expected to resolve their concerns. We ask that patients first contact a physician with any concerns so that they can resolve them before publicly posting.

    Note - The hair restoration physicians recommended on this site are not a definitive list of all excellent hair transplant doctors. Nor do we warrant or guarantee the results of any of the physicians presented on this site. As always, we encourage you to do your due diligence in evaluating these and all hair loss physicians.

    We offer the following suggestions for researching a hair restoration physician:

    • Does the physician take a holistic approach to hair restoration? Your physician should help you evaluate all your options, surgical and non-surgical.
    • Have they invested time and resources in large micro follicular unit hair transplantation sessions? Outstanding work requires a staff dedicated to and trained to use high-powered magnification to produce more than 2,000 carefully trimmed grafts per surgical session.
    • Choose a hair restoration clinic that is patient-focused rather than commercially focused. Some clinics emphasize revenue, speed, and volume rather than dedicating the time and individual care needed to produce optimal results. These commercial operations typically rely on heavy advertising rather than satisfied patient or doctor referrals.
    • Is hair restoration the primary focus of their practice? Outstanding results require a physician and staff to perform hair restoration surgery regularly. Doing hair restoration as a sideline and other cosmetic procedures may hinder their ability to do large sessions of highly refined follicular unit transplantation.
    • How many patients has this physician produced excellent results for? Like any skill, experience over time is critical to acquiring the skill and judgment required to produce excellent results.
    • Can the physician provide detailed patient before and after photographs? Do they also have patients who are willing to speak with you and meet with you in person?
    hair restoration clinic

    What do their hair transplant patients think?

    Ultimately, the most critical measure of a hair transplant surgeon's work is their patient's level of satisfaction. Find out what patients think of their physician's work by visiting our discussion forum or viewing hair loss blogs created by patients. View our standards for recommending hair transplant surgeons.

    Find an excellent hair restoration physician in your area.

    Send a Virtual Consult

    This online feature enables you to fill out a hair loss questionnaire and email it to any of the quality hair loss doctors recommended on this site. You can even attach your photos. They will then respond to your questions and concerns.

    Click here, to send a Virtual Consult.

    Suggest a physician for recommendation on this site.

    We are always interested in learning about outstanding hair restoration physicians. Click below to suggest an outstanding physician for recommendation on this site.
    Click here if you are with a hair restoration clinic.
    Click here if you are a hair transplant patient.

  • Find a Hair Restoration Treatment and Physician

    Find a Hair Restoration Treatment and Physician

    Reviewed by Hundreds of Patients!

    This Learning Center offers in-depth reviews of hair loss treatments and the leading physicians who provide them. Today, there are treatments that can stop or even reverse hair loss. Hair transplant surgery, when done right, can now produce results so natural that even hair stylists cannot spot them.

    But it is critical to choose the right hair loss treatment and hair restoration physician, since the skill, talent, and experience of physicians vary widely, as do their results.

      Find a Coalition Physician
  • Parsa Mohebi, M.D

    Dr. Parsa Mohebi
    Dr. Parsa Mohebi
    Dr. Parsa Mohebi provides large sessions of high quality follicular unit transplantation with excellent results
  • Future Hair Loss Treatments

     medical hair loss treatment

    Some day, perhaps in the distant future, baldness may become a curable aliment. Scientists are currently researching gene therapies to alter a person's genetic vulnerability to hair loss. However, the actual implementation of such hair loss treatments may be decades away.

    In the near future, drug treatments which inhibit the balding process seem more promising. The hair loss drug Propecia (finasteride) has been proven successful in slowing and/or stopping hair loss by blocking the conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in the scalp.

    Another promising drug that inhibits the development of hair loss causing DHT hormones is Dutasteride.

    Like Propecia, it also inhibits the creation of DHT. And based on preliminary clinical studies, dutasteride promises to be even more successful than Propecia in inhibiting the production of DHT.

    In addition, Dutasteride inhibits the activities of two types of 5-alpha-reductase enzymes. In contrast, Propecia (Finasteride) only inhibits one type. Dutasteride has been shown to decrease levels of DHT by 90% after only two weeks, making it a more powerful and faster-acting weapon against hair loss than Propecia (Finasteride).

    Dutasteride is not yet FDA approved for the treatment of hair loss. However, it is being marketed as Avodart by GlaxoSmithKline as a hair loss treatment. Some hair restoration physicians also prescribe it for the treatment of hair loss. Like Propecia, Avodart is not safe for women and children.

    In time, perhaps even more effective hair loss drugs will be developed to inhibit the hair loss process.

    Future Hair Transplants - an endless supply of bald resistant donor hairs?

    The amount of hair you can transplant is ultimately limited by the amount of hair follicles you can safely relocate from the bald resistant donor area at the back and sides of your head.

    Some day it may be possible for physicians to create multiple hair follicles from one original follicle. This process typically called "hair cloning" or more correctly "Hair Multiplication" is currently being investigated by several research scientists and hair restoration physicians.

    If and when this process is successfully developed patients would no longer be limited by the finite amount of bald resistant hairs that can be relocated from their donor area. Hair multiplication would result in a virtually limitless supply of hair available for hair transplantation.

    This would be especially good news for men or women with extensive baldness and a very limited supply of donor hair. Even those with extensive baldness would theoretically be able achieve thick full heads of hair.

    However, experts believe that we are at least ten years away from hair multiplication being available, if even then.

    For most men and women, hair loss can be effectively halted or even reversed with current hair loss treatments. But the future holds the promise of even more effective treatments and perhaps some day even a "hair loss cure".

  • Hair Loss Shampoos & Conditioners

    Hair Loss shampoos and conditioners

    There are a variety of shampoos and conditioners that can be used to slow down the progression of male and female pattern baldness. It should be noted that no shampoo nor conditioner is proven to regrow hair.  Thus, for best results, any shampoo and conditioner product should be used in conjunction with other proven hair loss treatments such as Propecia (finasteride)and Rogaine (minoxidil).

    Shampoo and conditioner can also help to "volumize" the hair, making hair appear thicker and fuller.  Ingredients found in many of these treatments are designed to promote healthy hair growth and nourish the follicles.  Thus, for a healthy scalp and hair, using one or more of these dedicated shampoos and conditioners can be the perfect addition to any hair loss treatment regimen.  To learn more about each product, click a link below:

    Nioxin
    Nizoral 2% Shampoo - Extra Strength
    Nizoral Shampoo - Regular
    Revita Shampoo
    Revivogen
    Tricomin

    To date, only surgical hair restoration is proven to grow hair in completely bald areas. You are invited to have a free virtual consultation with one of our prescreened hair restoration physicians.

  • Steven Gabel, M.D.

    Dr. Steven Gabel
    Dr. Steven Gabel is dedicated exclusively to performing ultra-refined follicular unit hair transplantation and follicular unit extraction with excellent results performed in the Portland area.